diff --git a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
index 3d854c9..67fa3fd 100644
--- a/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -2365,6 +2365,15 @@
 
 	switches=	[HW,M68k]
 
+	sysfs.deprecated=0|1 [KNL]
+			Enable/disable old style sysfs layout for old udev
+			on older distributions. When this option is enabled
+			very new udev will not work anymore. When this option
+			is disabled (or CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED not compiled)
+			in older udev will not work anymore.
+			Default depends on CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED_V2 set in
+			the kernel configuration.
+
 	sysrq_always_enabled
 			[KNL]
 			Ignore sysrq setting - this boot parameter will
diff --git a/block/genhd.c b/block/genhd.c
index 59a2db6..4e28a84 100644
--- a/block/genhd.c
+++ b/block/genhd.c
@@ -22,9 +22,7 @@
 #include "blk.h"
 
 static DEFINE_MUTEX(block_class_lock);
-#ifndef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
 struct kobject *block_depr;
-#endif
 
 /* for extended dynamic devt allocation, currently only one major is used */
 #define MAX_EXT_DEVT		(1 << MINORBITS)
@@ -803,10 +801,9 @@
 
 	register_blkdev(BLOCK_EXT_MAJOR, "blkext");
 
-#ifndef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
 	/* create top-level block dir */
-	block_depr = kobject_create_and_add("block", NULL);
-#endif
+	if (!sysfs_deprecated)
+		block_depr = kobject_create_and_add("block", NULL);
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/base/class.c b/drivers/base/class.c
index 1078969..9c63a56 100644
--- a/drivers/base/class.c
+++ b/drivers/base/class.c
@@ -184,9 +184,9 @@
 	if (!cls->dev_kobj)
 		cls->dev_kobj = sysfs_dev_char_kobj;
 
-#if defined(CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED) && defined(CONFIG_BLOCK)
+#if defined(CONFIG_BLOCK)
 	/* let the block class directory show up in the root of sysfs */
-	if (cls != &block_class)
+	if (!sysfs_deprecated || cls != &block_class)
 		cp->class_subsys.kobj.kset = class_kset;
 #else
 	cp->class_subsys.kobj.kset = class_kset;
diff --git a/drivers/base/core.c b/drivers/base/core.c
index 6cf9069..f7f906f 100644
--- a/drivers/base/core.c
+++ b/drivers/base/core.c
@@ -26,6 +26,19 @@
 #include "base.h"
 #include "power/power.h"
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED_V2
+long sysfs_deprecated = 1;
+#else
+long sysfs_deprecated = 0;
+#endif
+static __init int sysfs_deprecated_setup(char *arg)
+{
+	return strict_strtol(arg, 10, &sysfs_deprecated);
+}
+early_param("sysfs.deprecated", sysfs_deprecated_setup);
+#endif
+
 int (*platform_notify)(struct device *dev) = NULL;
 int (*platform_notify_remove)(struct device *dev) = NULL;
 static struct kobject *dev_kobj;
@@ -617,14 +630,13 @@
 		struct kobject *parent_kobj;
 		struct kobject *k;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
 		/* block disks show up in /sys/block */
-		if (dev->class == &block_class) {
+		if (sysfs_deprecated && dev->class == &block_class) {
 			if (parent && parent->class == &block_class)
 				return &parent->kobj;
 			return &block_class.p->class_subsys.kobj;
 		}
-#endif
+
 		/*
 		 * If we have no parent, we live in "virtual".
 		 * Class-devices with a non class-device as parent, live
@@ -707,11 +719,9 @@
 			goto out_subsys;
 	}
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
 	/* /sys/block has directories and does not need symlinks */
-	if (dev->class == &block_class)
+	if (sysfs_deprecated && dev->class == &block_class)
 		return 0;
-#endif
 
 	/* link in the class directory pointing to the device */
 	error = sysfs_create_link(&dev->class->p->class_subsys.kobj,
@@ -738,10 +748,8 @@
 	if (dev->parent && device_is_not_partition(dev))
 		sysfs_remove_link(&dev->kobj, "device");
 	sysfs_remove_link(&dev->kobj, "subsystem");
-#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
-	if (dev->class == &block_class)
+	if (sysfs_deprecated && dev->class == &block_class)
 		return;
-#endif
 	sysfs_delete_link(&dev->class->p->class_subsys.kobj, &dev->kobj, dev_name(dev));
 }
 
diff --git a/fs/partitions/check.c b/fs/partitions/check.c
index 79fbf3f..137bf97 100644
--- a/fs/partitions/check.c
+++ b/fs/partitions/check.c
@@ -513,14 +513,14 @@
 
 	if (device_add(ddev))
 		return;
-#ifndef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
-	err = sysfs_create_link(block_depr, &ddev->kobj,
-				kobject_name(&ddev->kobj));
-	if (err) {
-		device_del(ddev);
-		return;
+	if (!sysfs_deprecated) {
+		err = sysfs_create_link(block_depr, &ddev->kobj,
+					kobject_name(&ddev->kobj));
+		if (err) {
+			device_del(ddev);
+			return;
+		}
 	}
-#endif
 	disk->part0.holder_dir = kobject_create_and_add("holders", &ddev->kobj);
 	disk->slave_dir = kobject_create_and_add("slaves", &ddev->kobj);
 
@@ -737,8 +737,7 @@
 	kobject_put(disk->part0.holder_dir);
 	kobject_put(disk->slave_dir);
 	disk->driverfs_dev = NULL;
-#ifndef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
-	sysfs_remove_link(block_depr, dev_name(disk_to_dev(disk)));
-#endif
+	if (!sysfs_deprecated)
+		sysfs_remove_link(block_depr, dev_name(disk_to_dev(disk)));
 	device_del(disk_to_dev(disk));
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/device.h b/include/linux/device.h
index 516feca..dd48953 100644
--- a/include/linux/device.h
+++ b/include/linux/device.h
@@ -751,4 +751,11 @@
 	MODULE_ALIAS("char-major-" __stringify(major) "-" __stringify(minor))
 #define MODULE_ALIAS_CHARDEV_MAJOR(major) \
 	MODULE_ALIAS("char-major-" __stringify(major) "-*")
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED
+extern long sysfs_deprecated;
+#else
+#define sysfs_deprecated 0
+#endif
+
 #endif /* _DEVICE_H_ */
diff --git a/init/Kconfig b/init/Kconfig
index 137609f..d742b6f 100644
--- a/init/Kconfig
+++ b/init/Kconfig
@@ -660,8 +660,12 @@
 	depends on SYSFS
 	default n
 	help
-	  This option switches the layout of the "block" class devices, to not
-	  show up in /sys/class/block/, but only in /sys/block/.
+	  This option adds code that switches the layout of the "block" class
+	  devices, to not show up in /sys/class/block/, but only in
+	  /sys/block/.
+
+	  This switch is only active when the sysfs.deprecated=1 boot option is
+	  passed or the SYSFS_DEPRECATED_V2 option is set.
 
 	  This option allows new kernels to run on old distributions and tools,
 	  which might get confused by /sys/class/block/. Since 2007/2008 all
@@ -672,8 +676,22 @@
 	  option enabled.
 
 	  Only if you are using a new kernel on an old distribution, you might
-	  need to say Y here. Never say Y, if the original kernel, that came
-	  with your distribution, has not set this option.
+	  need to say Y here.
+
+config SYSFS_DEPRECATED_V2
+	bool "enabled deprecated sysfs features by default"
+	default n
+	depends on SYSFS
+	depends on SYSFS_DEPRECATED
+	help
+	  Enable deprecated sysfs by default.
+
+	  See the CONFIG_SYSFS_DEPRECATED option for more details about this
+	  option.
+
+	  Only if you are using a new kernel on an old distribution, you might
+	  need to say Y here. Even then, odds are you would not need it
+	  enabled, you can always pass the boot option if absolutely necessary.
 
 config RELAY
 	bool "Kernel->user space relay support (formerly relayfs)"